Helical deflector for truncated control paper refiners

ABSTRACT

A truncated conical pulp refining engine, such as a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Claflin&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; engine, is provided with a continuous, helical row of deflectors in the channels of the shell blades, the plug blade channels being free of dams or deflectors. Stock to be refined is thus thrown outwardly by centrifugal force from the plug channels, across the interface, and directed back across the interface by the helical deflectors, for improved refining effect.

[H1 amas United States Patent References Cited [72] Inventors Donald W. Danforth Andover;

S. mm mmm N N mm T" u m mm D. NW4 W mumm m Anum me n nnkvmnwo annmlm u a a MQBDF ne E WP 69047 & 7O666 89999 H HHHHHnw O9 oo0 mw mP 4Z945 88499 W 33 47 am 83244 m0 y y wfifl 233PA n .5 mF .m vm mm h wC n Awm m Q I fi mm o l k uM R8. 9 m, .S t l w RAMBO-5H9." m u m nnlm -e.mw B.I Inn-l rrn 0a FBA7JJBL 0. de N 86 ld l wwme AFPA llll 253 2247 llll ABSTRACT: A truncated conical pulp refining engine, such as a Claflin" engine, is provided with a continuous, helical row of deflectors in the channels of the shell blades, the plug blade channels being free of dams or deflectors. Stock to be refined is thus thrown outwardly by centrifugal force from the plug channels, across the interface, and directed back across the interface by the helical deflectors, for improved refining effect.

00 3 60 9 WZ v UQ C 9 2 2 2 D E T u. A m m C n n N m m U m R n n TS m m an m Fm RF& m m OEW M m H H m m m W n m m EM mu m n D 3 L mm Ame. mmfi wTm LNh .CM EOC 5m? C5 U-lF H HUN 5 UUU PATENTEDJUNZSIHII 3 5 9 3 VJBRINDLE MW??? H C.E.FISK,' F'.H.RUS L BY Plan, *"Pea/um ATTORNEYS HELICAL DEF LECTOR F OR TRUNCATED CONTROL PAPER REFINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In disc refiners, wherein two flat, opposed, bladed discs rotate with a flat, annular bladed and channeled interface, it has long been known to use various patterns of dams, or deflectors, in the channels to force the stock to travel back and forth across the interface. Axial movement of one disc toward the other, to compensate for wear or to vary the refining effect, does not change the relative location of such deflectors, so that a wide variety of patterns is available.

Such dams, or deflectors, have also been proposed for truncated, conical refiners such as Claflin engines, but the available patterns have been limited because of the need to axially move the tapered plug in the tapered shell. It will be apparent that the relative location of dams on the plug and shell will be changed as soon as the plug is moved further into the shell and that if too many plug dams became opposite too many shell dams, complete stoppage of flow of stock could occur.

In U.S. Pat. No. 933,582 to Quantz of Sept. 7, 1909, a refiner having circumferential rings, or rows, of deflectors in the shell only is disclosed. Such circular, dams have been found to cause wear on the opposing plug blades and such circular rows of pockets have been found to form a trap which prevents stock from gradually working its way to the large end ofthe refiner.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,921,749 to Brink et al. of Jan. 19, 1960, the plug and shell of a Claflin engine are each provided with staggered dams arranged in a pattern which prevents mutual blockage of stock flow while permitting axial adjustment of the plug.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,994 to Danforth of Aug. 18, 1964 similar deflectors are disclosed in circular ring form but the rings are so spaced longitudinally that no blockage occurs during axial adjustment of the plug.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention the bladed plug, or bladed, truncated conical rotor, is free of dams, or deflectors, so that stock would be free to pass the full length of the plug, in a channel between blades, without receiving treatment were it not for the effect of centrifugal force generated by the high-speed revolving plug. It has been found that dams in the plug are unnecessary, and that centrifugal force, plus the pumping effect of a tapered refiner, is adequate, when combined with the helical shell deflector of the invention, to assure thorough treatment of the stock. The single, continuous, helical row of deflectors in the shell creates a series of pockets, each successively nearer to the large end of the shell and each arranged to engage a different area of the plug while directing stock across the bladed interface, back into the plug channels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a developed view of the shell of a truncated, conical paper refiner of the Claflin type, showing the helical deflector of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plug filling, free of dams, such as may be used in the device of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inside of a portion of a frustoconical shell filling, or lining, showing the helical deflector, and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation in half section of a truncated conical refiner having ahelical deflector of the invention in the shell.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing represents a typical truncated conical paper refiner of the Claflin" type, the Claflin being similar to a Jordan engine but having a greater angle of taper. The

truncated conical plug 21 may be of any well-known bladed type. The generally longitudinal blades 22 extend outwardly from plug body 23 to form channels 24 therebetween. In this invention, there are no dams, or deflectors, in the channels 24, so that the channels 24 form unobstructed passages for the flow of stock from the small end 25 to the large end 26 of the refiner 20.

The truncated conical shell 30, includes a shell filling, or liner, 3] having longitudinal, inwardly projecting blades 32 and channels 33, the blades and channels being of any wellknown pattern, depending on the refining characteristics desired. As shown, the blades and channels are usually angularly disposed relative to the axis 34 of the refiner and may be carried on detachable, segmental plates of a well-known type.

In conventional bladed refiner-type tackle there is an opportunity for fibers to channel" in other words to pass through the refining zone entirely within the channels formed by the blades and to not be exposed to the working edges of the blades in the interface. If a circular ring pattern of deflectors is provided in the channels, as in the above-mentioned prior art patents, the function of the deflectors are such that flow is concentrated across the upstream face as the stock is diverted into the opposite member. This results in the localizing of wear effect on the bar edges immediately upstream of the deflector, thereby producing nonuniform wear and concentric ridges in the working edges of the blades.

In this invention the beneficial effect of deflectors is retained, which is to positively transfer stock back and forth from rotor to stator, to increase the probability of exposure to the working edges while the detrimental effect of circular rings of deflectors is avoided. By eliminating deflectors in the rotor and distributing the deflectors 36 uniformly and longitudinally in the shell lining, or stator, the wear effects are distributed evenly. The deflectors '36 in each channel 33 thus define a spiral, or helix, 37, which extends from the small end 25 to the large end 26 and encircles the shell for at least one convolution. The start 38 of the continuous helical row 37 of deflectors 36 is spaced slightly from the small end 25 to permit entrance of fiber bundles while the end 39 of the helical row 37 is flush with the large end 26 to assure retention of fiber bundles until entirely refined.

The blades 32 include a plurality of spaced slots such as 41 and the deflector material 42 which is moldable, for example epoxy resin, is installed by the use of molds, so that the material is forced into the slots 41 for permanent anchoring against centrifugal force. The upstream face 43 and the downstream face 44 of each deflector is flat and smooth without undercutting and may be at about 20 30 from normal to the base 45 of the channel.

In operation the centrifugal force of the high-speed rotor throws stock outwardly into the shell channels and the helical row of shell deflectors positively returns the stock into the plug channels thereby resulting in multiple transfers across the interface 46.

What we claim is:

I. In a truncated conical pulp refining engine, the combination of:

a truncated conical plug having longitudinal blades extending outwardly therefrom,

a truncated conical shell having blades extending inwardly therefrom, and defining a series of channels therebetween, said blades and channels being disposed in angular relation to the axis of said shell;

and a continuous spiral deflector in said shell channels extending from proximate the small end of said shell, helically around the inside of said shell for at least one complete convolution thereof to proximate the large end of said shell.

2. In a truncated conical pulp refining engine the combination of:

a bladed plug, free of deflectors,

a bladed shell having channels between the blades; and

spiral deflector means extending from end to end of said shell, in said channels.

ing at least one, continuous spiral set ofdefiectors extending from one end of said shell to the other in the said channels thereof.

5. In a truncated conical refining engine of the type having a 5 bladed plug and a bladed shell, there being channels between the blades ofsaid shell, the combination of:

a single, continuous, row of deflectors in said channels, said row extending from the small end of said shell, helically at least once around said shell, and terminating proximate the large end ofsaid shell. 

1. In a truncated conical pulp refininG engine, the combination of: a truncated conical plug having longitudinal blades extending outwardly therefrom, a truncated conical shell having blades extending inwardly therefrom, and defining a series of channels therebetween, said blades and channels being disposed in angular relation to the axis of said shell; and a continuous spiral deflector in said shell channels extending from proximate the small end of said shell, helically around the inside of said shell for at least one complete convolution thereof to proximate the large end of said shell.
 2. In a truncated conical pulp refining engine the combination of: a bladed plug, free of deflectors, a bladed shell having channels between the blades; and spiral deflector means extending from end to end of said shell, in said channels.
 3. A shell liner for truncated conical refining engines said liner having: a series of inwardly projecting blades disposed angularly relative to the axis thereof, said blades having spaces therebetween, and a single continuous spiral deflector extending around at least one convolution in the spaces between said blades.
 4. In a truncated conical refiner of the type having a bladed and channelled plug and a bladed and channelled shell, the combination of: deflector means in the shell only, for distributing wear effects uniformly longitudinally thereof, said means including at least one, continuous spiral set of deflectors extending from one end of said shell to the other in the said channels thereof.
 5. In a truncated conical refining engine of the type having a bladed plug and a bladed shell, there being channels between the blades of said shell, the combination of: a single, continuous, row of deflectors in said channels, said row extending from the small end of said shell, helically at least once around said shell, and terminating proximate the large end of said shell. 